Automatic electric cut-out.



No. 677,843. mum My 2, lam;

' m1. means. AUTOMATIC ELEGTBIG fDUT-Oll'l'.

(Apph at on med Aug 14 1900) (lo Model) WWW 'Ilnirrnn drains ParentDanica FREDERICK I-I. ROGERS, OF SAN JAOINTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE- I-IALF TO THOMAS T. PORTEOUS, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CUT=OUT.

SEEQIIFIGATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,843, dated July 2,1901.

7 Application filed August 14, 1900. Serial No. 26,897. (No model.)

' simple and cheap appliance for automatically cutting out the electriccircuit whenever the current is cut off and leaving the circuit openuntil it is again intentionally closed by the attendant.

Another object is to enable the attendant to so set the appliance whenthe current is oft that when the current is again turned on the lightswill be lighted and will remain lighted until the current is againturned off, and then the electric circuit will again be automaticallycut out and the circuit again left open until intentionally set orclosed by the at: tendant. This device is intended for ready applicationto electric service-lines for electric lights in stores and otherbuildingaw-hereby the service can be cut out at any time by cutting offthe current at the power-station or other stations.

The invention is designed to prevent waste of current by burningelectric lamps in'the daylight hours through the negligence ofattendants and also to avoid the necessity of attendance upon the lightsfor the purpose of extinguishing them.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l is an elevation of the invention in use with the electriccurrent on. Dotted lines indicate the position when the current is cutout. Fig. 2 is a View illustrating the automatic setting device, bymeans of which the attendant can set the apparatus ready to throw thelights into operation when the current is turned on and which will allowthe circuit to be cut out when the current is cut oft. The upper end ofthe handlej of the armature is omitted from this view.

a indicates the box or case; b b, the two insulating-supports, of woodfiber, porcelain, or

other insulating material.

0 indicates an electromagnet; d, a contactpoint connected with theterminal 6 of the coilsfof said magnet.

It indicates an armature-throwing circuit closing and breakingspring,connected by the screw 9 with one side Z of the service-wire andarranged to be sprung into contact with the contact-point d and tonormally stand free from said contact-point.

2' indicates a pivoted armature with a handlej and having an arm 1"projecting at right angles from the side of the main body of thearmature, which is presented toward the magnet and arranged to engagethe spring 72 to bring it into contact with the contact-point at whenthe armature is held by the said magnet and to be thrown by said springto normall y hold the armature away from said magnet. The terminal e' ofthe coils f of the magnet is connected with the negative side 2 of theservice-wire through the conductor and electrical connections 7c.

m indicates safety-fuses.

n indicates a support for the pivot o of the armature.

In practice when the attendant desires to out in the electric current hewill move the insulated handlej to bring the armaturet' toward themagnet. This causes the arm t" to force the spring h into contact withits contact-point d, and the circuit through the de- Vice and throughthe coil is completed. The magnet becomes energized by the current andholds the armature in the position shown in the drawings.

In case the current is cut off between the generator and the lights orother apparatus Where used the magnet will be deenergized, and thespring It will instantly throw the armature away from the magnet andinto the position shown in dotted lines, thus breaking the circuit,which will remain cut out until the armature is again brought into theopera= tive position shown in the drawings. When the current is to beout in again, the attendant will move the insulated handle j to bringthe parts again into the position shown in solid lines.

19 indicates a temporary holder for the insulated handle 7'. This holdermay be variously constructed. I have shown it as a spring furnished witha catch 1- to retain the handle j to hold the armature in position tocause the spring 72. to close the circuit while the armature is withinthe effective field of the magnet and far enough from the end of itspath toward the magnet to escape the catch and allow the holder to bethrown out of the path of the handle whenever the current is turned onand the magnet is thus energized to draw the armature toward the magnet.

When the holder-sprin g 1) has been released by the escape of the handleby reason of the movement of the armature under the attraction of themagnet, the catch flies out of the path of the handle, so that when thecurrent is again turned off and the magnet releases the armature thearmature will be free to be thrown by spring 7t, and said spring willopen the circuit, so that when the current is again turned on the lampswill not be lighted.

5 indicates a stop to stop the holder when thrown to catch the handle.

t indicates a stop in the form of an adjusting-screw to prevent thearmature from coming into contact with the core of the magnet. Theobject of this is to prevent the armature from becoming permanentlymagnetized and to insure the release of the armature whenever thecurrent is turned olt' of the line.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. Anautomaticelectriccut-outcomprising an electromagnet; acontact-point connected with one terminal of the coil of said magnet;the other terminal of said coil being connected with one side of theservice-wire; a spring connected with the other side of the service-wireand arranged to be sprung into contact with said contact-point and tonormally stand free from said contact-point; a pivoted armature forsaidmagnet, arranged to engage'thc spring to hold the spring in contact withits contact point, and normally held away from the magnet by saidspring; and an insulated handle for moving the armatu re independentlyof the spring.

2. An automatic electric cut-out comprising an electromagnet; acontact-point connected with one terminal of the coil of said magnet;the other terminal of said coilbeing connected with one side of theservice-wire a spring connected with the other side of the service-wireand arranged to be sprung into contact with said contact-point and tonormally stand free from said contact-point; a pivoted armature providedwith a handle and having an arm projecting at right angles from the sideof the main body of the armature which is presented toward the magnet,and arranged to engage the spring to throwit into contact with itscontact-point when the armature is held by said magnet, and to be thrownby said spring to normally hold the armature away from said magnet,substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric cut-out the combination of an electromagnet; acontact-point connected with one terminal of the coil of said magnet;the other terminal of said coil being connected with one side of theservice-wire; a spring connected with the other side of the service-wireand arranged to be sprung into contact with said contact-point and tonormally stand free from said contact-point; a pivoted armature for saidmagnet, arranged to hold the spring in contact with its contact-point,and normally held away from the magnet by said spring; and aspring-operated catch to hold the armature within the effective field ofthe magnet and in position to close the circuit and being at sufficientdistance from the magnet to allow the armature to be withdrawn from thecatch to release the catch when the magnet is energized; the tendency ofsaid spring being to withdraw the catch from the path of the armaturewhen the armature is withdrawn from the catch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angelos, California, this7th day of August, 1900.

FREDERICK II. ROGERS.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND, F. M. TOWNSEND.

